I'm looking for something to replace my Samsung DTB-H260F HD tuner (I'm strictly OTA for TV) that recently died. I've read a lot about the Channel Master DVR+, and I have some concerns about the experiences some people have had with it. On the pro side, it's pretty inexpensive and they say the picture is great and the user interface is good. On the con side, some people have had glitchy recordings, the remote is somewhat awkward, and the firmware may be an issue. I have a Series 1 Tivo with lifetime (yes, it still works just fine) so I thought I'd check out the Roamio. On the pro side, I like the Tivo interface (and I assume the Roamio's is similar), and I haven't seen any disappointment with how it works. On the con side, it costs more (with service). Does anyone have experience with both these devices? Or can you give me any guidance on your recommendation? Thanks.

I like the idea of a buy once DVR, but DVR's have a history of being abandoned.

ReplayTV, BoxeeTV, ChannelMaster, perhaps Windows MCE. I may own a lot of abandoned hardware but DVR's take the cake and become close to worthless because of the service dependence.

Compare this to Tivo. Aren't the Series 1 still operational?

The other major thing is the ecosystem. So this translates to Apps and accessories. Depending on your usage patterns and intentions, neither of these might be important, but I thought it's best to point it out since it can get glossed over.

Look at some unpopular platforms, and you'll see the promise of apps is totally different than the reality of having the app you want.

If you want to stay within the Tivo ecosystem and be price competitive, isn't a lifetime Premiere close to the DVR+. Don't forget you have to get a hard drive.

Another example with Tivo, a common utilized feature is it can transfer shows to a computer. With DVR+, ??, there's just so many open questions, that we have to wait for answers to.

In a year, maybe Channel Master will demonstrate these risks are non-issues, but until then, they're an unknown.

PS. When I want something low priced for OTA, I get a Silicon Dust, but then you need to find software that you iike. But I know it'll never stop working.
PPS. Another major difference is Tivos (Base Roamio and Premiere 2) can work with Cable, so you don't have to throw it out if circumstances change.

I'm looking for something to replace my Samsung DTB-H260F HD tuner (I'm strictly OTA for TV) that recently died. I've read a lot about the Channel Master DVR+, and I have some concerns about the experiences some people have had with it. On the pro side, it's pretty inexpensive and they say the picture is great and the user interface is good. On the con side, some people have had glitchy recordings, the remote is somewhat awkward, and the firmware may be an issue. I have a Series 1 Tivo with lifetime (yes, it still works just fine) so I thought I'd check out the Roamio. On the pro side, I like the Tivo interface (and I assume the Roamio's is similar), and I haven't seen any disappointment with how it works. On the con side, it costs more (with service). Does anyone have experience with both these devices? Or can you give me any guidance on your recommendation? Thanks.

If you are just OTA go with the low end TiVo Roamio + lifetime and don't look back. Everything about TiVo far superior to ANYTHING that is being call a DVR. I got talk into DirectTV by my brother, big mistake. The POS of a Genie box is worse crap I ever used. Everything from the guild data to setting a season pass give you no info like the TiVo. I am considering paying the penalty and telling DirectTV take everything back and going back to Cox and getting a Roamio.

I had one of those Samsung boxes and when my died I replaced with it a Tivo, just do it. Having a box with a free data guide may be tempting, but there is no financial incentive to maintain free, or as I like to say "Free today,GONE tomorrow".
As others have stated, the base Romaio would serve you well.

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The 4 tuners of the Roamio is hard to beat compared to the Channel Master having only 2. I find it boils down to people who just absolutely refuse to pay a monthly fee, or at least one as HIGH as TiVo's, to those who really want a TiVo over any other DVR.

While the new Channel Master (by Echostar) seems a great DVR, and has been reviewed as so, I do have a concern about repair path. I mean, not the external HDD, but if the unit itself should need repair. With TiVo one at least has a Weaknees (I'm not considering DYI'ers. Also, that slim Channel Master doesn't look like an easy DIY), regardless if some posters thing Weaknees is high priced. An average Joe can have dead parts (fan, the infamous bulging capacitors, power supplies) replaced and recover that TiVo almost like new and an investment in a machine not lost.

Of course, the TiVo Roamio has several other advanced features that the Channel Master does not, but as far as basic DVR of OTA, the lack of a repair path for the Channel Master would be my only real concern

Thanks to telemark, Johncv, and tenthplanet. You have pretty much confirmed what I was thinking, and I'm going to go ahead with the Tivo Roamio Basic with lifetime.

I think that is the correct decision. I cut the cord in 2009 and bought my first TiVoHD, it still works as well as it did when I bought it. Overall I have used TiVo since 2000 and been happy. Windows Media Center is the probably still the second best option in my opinion but it is a distant second, especially now that it is essentially a legacy product and not being developed further. The Channel Master DVRs are probably OK based on what I have seen and read but TiVo just works, day after day, month after month, year after year.